It is an absurdly simple process that requires a hammer and a Phillips-head screwdriver. In the box, you’ll find 16 pieces including a plastic weber bbq wrench only used to attach the handle to the lid. Having said all of this, this upgrade is not necessary to smoke on the weber kettle.
Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). Because this grill is so popular, both Weber and other manufacturers offer a bunch of add-ons (such as charcoal baskets, pizza stones, and rotisseries) that increase its capabilities.
With gas grills, charcoal grills, pellet grills and smokers all offering many advantages, here’s what you need to know to find out which Weber grill is right for you. The Q 1400 is the electric cousin of the gas-fueled Q 1200 and is a good fit for balcony cooking where gas or charcoal are prohibited. The grill temperature on the high setting maxed out our thermometer at 610°F after five minutes.
It’s easy to clean, there’s little setup, and it’s lighter than its gas counterparts. We also decided to test the popular PK Grill & Smoker, acknowledging that high-quality charcoal weber charcoal grill grills of different designs may have advantages that kettle grills don’t. You want to find a grill made of quality materials to ensure longevity, heat dispersal, and heat retention.
This works nicely for cooking a roast over indirect heat, such as pork loin or beef tenderloin, because you have the same level of heat on either side of the roast. But we also encountered a few weber bbq traits on the PK Grill that we considered dealbreakers. Even before testing, we were concerned that the short distance between the grate and the top of the grill meant food could go flying.
This is in part due to the relatively high labor costs for onshore manufacturing. They’re also made from premium materials, guaranteed to last a long time. For that reason, Weber offers generous warranties; years for the cookbox on almost all their full-sized models. Other grill parts, like the knobs, grates, and burner tubes have slightly shorter warranties, ranging from three to 10 years.